Envelop sealer and stamper



S. 1'. CIRBUS.

ENVELOP SEALER AND STAMPER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-2,1919.

Patented Mar, 8, 1921 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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x t c o s. 1. cmsus. ENVELOP SEALER A ND STAMPER.

APPLlCATlON FILED OCTHZ, 1919. 1,371,146, Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

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PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN J. CIRBUS, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ENVELOP SEALER AND STAMPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application filed October 2, 1919. Serial No. 327,876.

To all to 710m it may concern Be it known that I, STEPHEN J. CIRBUS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erieand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Envelop Sealers and Stampers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for preparingaddressed envelops for mailing and comprehends a machine wherein theenvelops are placed in a receiver and upon operation of the machine,carried forwardly out of the receiver under a moistening element wherebythe adhesive material upon the envelop flap is moistened andsubsequently passed beneath a deflector which acts to fold the body ofthe envelop against the flap and means for finally compressing theenvelop body and flap to securely seal the envelop.

Another object is the provision of a machine of this character wherein astamp applying mechanism is interposed between the flap moistening andcompressing means and which is automatically actuated by the conveyercarrying the letter to apply a postage stamp thereto.

Another object is the provision of stamping mechanism for a machine ofthis charactcr wherein the stamps are automatically fed from a supplyroller between a pair of cutting rollers which are also automaticallyactuated to cut the stamp strip up into predetermined.lengths, one ofthe cutting rollers being equipped with moistening means whereby thestamp, prior to its application to the letter is moistened to cause itsadhesion to the envelop.

lVith these and other objects in view as will appear as the descriptionproceeds the invention comprises the novel features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be morefully described in the following'specification and set forth withparticularity in the claims appended hereto.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the improved scaling andstamping machine.

Fig. 2 represents a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 represents an end elevation of the machine,

Fig. 4 represents an enlarged vertical sectional view takenlongitudinally through the machine illustrating the stamp applyingmechanism in detail.

Fig. 5 represents a vertical transverse sectional view through themachine on the plane of the envelop flap moistener.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numerals5 indicate the opposed side members of a supporting frame structurewhich is open at both ends and also at the top. Supporting rollers 6 and7 are supported upon shafts adjacent the oppo- .site ends of the framestructure and the shaft of the roller at the rear end of the framestructure is provided with a hand crank 8 for convenience in manualmanipulation of the machine. An endless conveyer belt or apron 9 isextended over and between the rollers 6 and 7 and is arranged in theplane of the relatively low portions of the upper edges of the sidemembers 5, the latter, at their rear extremities being increased inheight as indicated at 10 to form the side walls of the envelopreceiving chamber.

The receiving chamber for the envelops is designated by the numeral 11in Fig. 2 and the portions of the side members 5 constituting the wallsof the chamber are provided with transversely extending supporting bars12 which constitute guides and a support for a .slide bar 13 which, asis illustrated in Fig. 3, is arranged in the upper portion of thechamber 11 and is provided with depending spring arms 14 designed toengage the innermost of a group of envelops 15 confined between thespring fingers in one side of the frame structure. In placing theenvelops in the chamber 11 the latter are arranged edgewise and theflaps 16 thereof are arranged one upon the other upon the belt or apron9. The spring arms let are carried by a shaft 17 journaled in thedepending terminal portions of the slide bar 13 and a counter-balancingweight carried by an arm 18 of the shaft 17 normally maintains thespring arms in contact with the adjacent envelop of the stack 15.

A series of uniformly spaced lugs 19 are arranged upon the outersurface'of thevconveyer belt or apron 9 at one edge thereof and areadapted to engage the outermost envelop of the series during operationof the machine and convey such envelop forwardly between the sidemembers of the frame structure 5. A stop bar is arranged between theside members of the v wardly thereunder.

frame structure at the forward portion of the receiving chamber 11 andis designed to prevent the entire group of envelops from being carriedforward bodily with the conveyer, sufficient space being left betweenone terminal of the stop bar and the side of the frame structure topermit one envelop to pass forwardly at a time with the belt due toengagement of the lug 19 with said envelop. As one envelop is removedfrom the group the entire series is moved forwardly against the side ofthe frame structure by the action of the spring arms 14 which normallymaintains one envelop in position for engagement by the lugs of theconveyer.

A flap sealing element designated generally by the numeral 21 isarranged forwardly of the stop bar and is provided with an angularterminal communicating with a liquid reservoir 23 having a removable cap24 permitting the reservoir to be filled with water or other liquid formoistening the adhesive material on the flaws on the envelops. Theterminal of the tiibe 22 opposite the reservoir 23 terminates in spacedrelation to the adjacent side of the frame structure permitting theenvelops to pass forwardly between the terminal of said tubes and theframe structure and the underside of this terminal of the tube is formedwith a slot receiving a strip of absorbent material 25 which extendsbelow the bottom surface of the tube and is designed to wipe across theinner surface of the envelop flap 16 as the latter passes for- The tube22 conducts the liquid. from the reservoir 23 to the absorbent strip 25and due to? the absorbent quality of the latter it is maintained in asaturated condition and effectively spreads a film of liquid over theinner surface of the envelop flap moistening the adhesive materialthereon.

At the front end of the frame structure a presser roller 26 is arrangedand is connected with the shaft of the front conveyer roller 7 by atrain of gear wheels 27 which impart rotary motion to the presser roller26 so as to positively feed the envelops from the'discharge or forwardend of the machine during operation. To insure an even dis tribution ofpressure exerted by the roller 26 upon the envelop said roller ispreferably formed of felt or other yieldable material.

At a point intermediate the fiap moistening element 21 and the presserroller 26, a stamp moistening and applying mechanism designatedgenerally by the numeral 27" is arranged. The stamping mechanismcomprises a stamp supporting roller 28 which is mounted for rotationwith a shaft 29 journaled in bearings 30 provided upon the side membersof the frame structure. Cutting rollers 29 and 30 are arranged forwardlyof the roller 28 and are supported for rotation with shafts 31 and 32also journaled in the bearing members 30.

The shaft of the cutting roller 29 is of hollow form and communicates atits outer angular terminal with a reservoir 33 identical in connectionto the reservoir 23 and designed to contain a supply of liquid which isconducted to the interior of the hollow roller 29 by the tubular shaft31. The roller 29 is formed with a series of relatively smallperforations 34 and a lining of felt or other absorbent material 35 isarranged internally of the roller to prevent leakage of the liquidthrough the perforations thereof. The roller 29 is formed with atransverse recess defining a cutting edge 36 which is adapted to coactwith the projecting cutting edge 37 of the roller 30 to sever the stampstrip into sections of the proper length incident with the location ofsaid rollers.

The stamp strip 38 is wound upon the roller 28 and the terminal of thestrip is fed from under the roller 28 across the top of the roller 29and between the latter and the roller 27, finally passing under thelatter and having its adhesive portion disposed {)oward the uppersurface of the conveyer elt 9.

A lever 39 is pivotally mounted upon the terminal of the shaft 29 and isprovided in its upper extremity with a pivoted pawl 40 movable over theteeth of a ratchet wheel 41 rigidly secured to the shaft 29 wherebymovement of the lever 39 in one direction causes a correspondingrotarymovement of the roller 28 due to the cooperation of the pawl 40 with theteeth of the ratchet wheel 41. The movement of the shaft 29 istransmitted to the shaft 31 through a train of gears 42 and the relativesize of the gear wheels 42 is such that a complete revolution of theshaft 31 is efiected at each oscillation of the lever 39, the motion ofthe shaft 31 being transmitted to the shaft 32 by the gear wheel 42 ofthe shaft 31 which meshes with a similar gear wheel 43 on the shaft 32.The lower extremity of the lever 39 is pivotally connected with a pushrod 44 having an angular extremity 45 which extends through an inclinedslot 46 in the wall of the frame structure 5 above the upper portion ofthe conveyer belt 9. Theangular extremity 45 of the push rod is disposedin the path of the lugs 19 as the latter move forwardly with theconveyer belt and incident to contact of the lugs with the angularextremity of the rod the latter is pushed forwardly causing anoscillation of the lever 39, the latter being returned to its initialposition subsequent to an operation thereof by the tension of a spring47. The slot 46 in the side of the frame structure is inclined upwardlyfrom its rear extremity so that as the angular. extremity 45 of the pushrod is moved forwardly with the lug 19 it is gradually elevated until itis removed from the path of the lug and permits the latter to moveforwardly with the conveyer belt also permitting the lever to bereturned to its initial position under the influence of the spring 47.

A guide rod 48 is arranged in the frame structure above the belt 9 andis disposed obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the frame structurewhereby as the front edges of the envelops engage therewith during theirforward movement they are caused to fall back upon the conveyer belt,face upward, as shown in Fig. 2 and thus as the envelops are fedforwardly with the conveyer belt the stamp is applied to the front facethereof.

In use, the envelops which have been addressed and are in condition formailing are placed in the receiving chamber 11 edgewise as suggested inFig. 2 with the flaps 16 thereof open and lying one upon the other uponthe belt 9. The liquid reservoirs 23 and 33 having been previouslysupplied with a quantity of water or other fluid, the hand crank 8 isoperated to cause movement of the conveyer belt 9.

The hand crank is revolved in a direction to cause forward movement ofthe upper portion of the conveyer belt and as the lug 19 is engaged withthe edge of the envelop obstructing its movement, said envelop is movedforwardly, the inner side of the flap 16 entering beneath the absorbentstrip 25 and having a film of water or other liquid applied theretowhich moistens and softens the adhesive material on said flap insuringadhesion of the latter to the body of the envelop when the latter isfolded upon the flap. During the continued forward move ment of theenvelop the body thereof is engaged with the obliquely disposed guide 48and caused to fall down upon the conveyer in the position indicated at Ain Fig. 2. As the envelop moves forwardly beneath the stamp moisteningand applying mechanism the lug 19 is engaged with the angular portion 45of the push rod causing a forward movement of the latter and theconsequent operation of the lever 39 and the pawl 40 coacting with theteeth of the ratchet wheel 41 produces a rotary movement of the shaft 29carrying the stamp strip supporting roller 28 causing a portion of saidstrip to unwind from the roller 28 and to be fed between the cuttingrollers 29 and 30*. Con tact of the back of the stamp strip with theroller 29 causes a quantity of liquid to be deposited thereon due to theperforations 34 in the roller and as the synchronous movement of therollers 29 and 30 is continued the cutting edge 37 is moved across theedge 36 of the roller 29 producing a shearing action which severs asection of the stamping strip from the body of the strip and causes theadhesive portion of said stamp to be applied and aflixed to the face ofthe envelop. As the push rod 44 moves forward with the lug it isgradually elevated due to the inclination of the slot 46 and whenreleased is automatically returned to initial position by the influenceof the spring 47. The envelop finally passing out of the machine beneaththe presser roller 26 is compressed in such manner as to cause the flap16 to be securely sealed upon the back of the envelop and also to causethe stamp to be pressed upon the front thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, a frame structure, aconveyer arranged therein, envelop engaging means carried by theconveyer, a stamp strip supporting roller, means engageable and operableby the engaging means of the conveyer to actuate the roller, a pair ofcutting rollers adapted to receive and sever the stamp strip intosections of predetermined length, and means for applying pressure to theenvelop to cause adhesion of the stamp thereto.

2. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, a frame structure, aconveyer arranged therein, envelop engaginge. means carried by theconveyer, a stamp strip supporting roller journaled in the framestructure, means operable by the engaging means of the conveyer toactuate the roller, companion cutting rollers arranged in the framestructure adjacent the supporting roller, cutting edges carried by thecutting rollers for severing a stamp strip passing therebetween, andmeans for affixing severed stamps to envelops.

3. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, a frame structure, aconveyer arranged therein, envelop engaging means carried by theconveyer, a stamp strip supporting roller, means operable by theengaging means of the conveyer to actuate the roller, companion cuttingrollers, cutting edges carried by the rollers, adapted to sever a stampstrip into sections during rotation thereof, means for affixing stampstrip sections to envelops and means for connecting the cutting rollerswith the supporting rollers whereby movement of said supporting rolleris transmitted to the cutting rollers.

4. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, a frame structure, aconveyer arranged therein, envelop engaging means carried by saidconveyer, a stamp strip supporting roller arranged in the framestructure above the conveyer, cutting rollers mounted in the framestructure adjacent the supporting roller and operated thereby, moistureapplying means carried by one of said cutting rollers and the othercutting roller being arranged adjacent the conveyer Whereby to afiix thecut portion of the stamp strip to an envelop.

5. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, a frame structure, aconveyer arranged therein, said frame structure having an envelopreceiving chamber, envelop engaging means carried by the conveyer, flapmoistening means arranged in the frame structure, a guide, arranged inthe frame structure for engaging and folding the body of the envelopagainst the flap thereof, a stamp strip supporting roller journaled inthe frame structure, means engageableby the engaging means of theconveyer to intermittently actuate the supporting roller, and stampstrip severing and moistening means actuated by the supporting roller,the other of the companion rollers being arranged adjacent the conveyerwhereby to afiix the out portion of the stamp strip to an envelop.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hereto.

STEPHEN J. CIRBUS

